We have talked about the benefits of the E-3 Visa before and how you can get the visa to live and work in the US. Also in general terms we have advised on where to look for jobs in the US so you can best search for a position and employer that will sponsor your E3 visa.
Finally we have given the Top US Employers List which although is the top 200 H-1B visa sponsors last year is just as relevant for E-3 visa holders. It is just as relevant if not moreso because essentially the work benefits of the E3 visa for the employee once in the US is the same as the H1B visa but also has the added benefit of being able to be applied for all year round with a start date immediately following visa approval.
However for many the process is still so overwhelming as they are stuck all the way in Australia and wonder how in the hell they could convince somebody in the US to want to hire them compared to a local candidate.
I am sure many of you to a couple of the biggest job sites in the US like Monster.com (which I do recommend) and CareerBuilder.com (which I don’t recommend mainly for the plethora of junk jobs on there, the fact that spammers seem to like finding details on that site and sending you crap although this has got a lot better but most of all their terrible interface) and find roles and are just applying but with no response.
One of the most common things I think for the aspiring E3 visa applicant is coming to a pre-questionnaire for a position whereby they have to answer a question like “Are you authorized to work in the US” or “Can you work in the US without sponsorship” and unsure what to answer.
The truth is in my opinion that for most companies that ask that question, unless you have an internal or external referral to someone in the company, generally means they won’t consider hiring the average foreigner. This is probably for no other reason than they assume you are an H-1B applicant and they don’t want to the cost, uncertainy and delays that are part of that process.
This is unfortunate but the fact the E-3 Visa is virtually unknown by all of corporate America not to mention the Immigration community 🙂
It is OK because in a previous post we told you how to explain the E-3 Visa to a potential employer as well as in our opinion where to put this information in your resume.
So to continue my point, if you just the average person, it may be time well spent by NOT doing too many of those types of applications whereby you are having to answer that question in the negative. Your application is probably going to an immediate discard pile maybe only looked at if there are no good application in the group of people who can answer that question positively.
Apart from LinkedIn, Monster and Craigslist, my other really great suggestion in the application phase is direct applications to a company via their own website which may just be sending in your resume to a careers email (possibly with a cover letter). This may or may not be to a posted position as often positions are not advertised anywhere or just in obscure places.
Aside from the fact that this type of applying to companies who could offer you a job and sponsor your E3 Visa is frutiful in terms of responses, it also is a lot quicker that going through long questionnarie applications meaning you can apply to more places in a short space of time!
So all you have to do and you can use the job sites to help you here or industry group sites for your chosen industry to find all the companies that may exist in your niche. In today’s day in age they will have websites and then you are set. If those sites have HR contacts that is great in terms of addressing cover letters and emails.
As said in other posts, I highly recommend applying to small companies as well as they can be surprisingly open to hiring a foreigner and you can learn all you need to know here at E3visa.info and guide them through the process 🙂
The final tip which I have also stated before is get a US phone number (you can do it via Skype) and be prepared to fly here for interviews as daunting as it sounds. Of course pick your city and try and schedule as many job interviews as you can in a short space of time.
As you all are no doubt aware Travelzoo, Expedia and Webjet can be helpful to get good flight and accommodation deals.
Good Luck in your E-3 Visa quest!!
CJ
Can anybody let me know which month the E3 filing is done, is it done on 1st of april same time as H1B?
your repy would highly appreciated
Thanks,
Hi Anjali,
E-3 Visas can be filed any time of the year. There is no set date which is one of the big benefits versus the H-1B visa. There are 10,500 visas available annually which have never even been close to being filled.
CJ
Hi CJ,
thanks for the information, this is going to help me a lot with my overseas candidates.
Anjali
Are there any recruiters willing to organise sponsorship for E3 applicants that are currently based in Australia? Thanks
I am not aware of any of them that are really good from any sort of experience. There is cxcusa.com but have no opinion on them other than they exist.
Just wondering if the E-3 falls under the H-1B visa issues that are currently applied to Banks that get TARP ?
From my understanding Banks may restrict or eliminate their ability to sponsor foreign workers under the H1b visa program, does this apply to the E-3 ?
Many thanks
Hi Sam,
To be honest it is not fully documented as the E-3 visa falls under the radar as so few people are aware of it. In general though, those TARP companies will be reluctant to hire foreign workers of any kind for next 2 years for the public fallout if nothing else. So unless you are a US citizen or green card holder it will be difficult to get a role there for next 2 years unless the role is super unique and specialized that very few people have the skill.
CJ
Hi, how difficult is it to get an E-3 visa if you have a criminal record??? I have a misdemeanor from just under 5 years ago but would like to work in the US. I’m an Australian Citizen but am currently in Canada. I’m not a Canadian resident. Thanks
Hi,
That is a good question and essentially comes down to the assessment officer at the consulate you apply at. This would be the case for any US visa and not just the E3 visa. So you can apply in Canada as well but on your application is best to be completely honest in that part and thus if it is a minor issue I am sure it wont be a hurdle.
If someone had serious criminal issues or serial criminal acts, I think they would have greater trouble than a person with a minor incident 5 years ago.
CJ
Hi,
so, basically u mean that I 100% need to be able to travel to US for interviews?
so here is the advantage of H1B. If I have to come to US for interview, that’s what I can do:
Enter US via waiver visa and do heaps of interviews, once got accepted, then apply for H1B within US! however for E3 type u need to go back and apply from overseas! such a pain!!!!
Hi SR,
You can apply for the E3 visa or indeed any US visa like the H1B visa for most US consulates that process visas like in Canada.
However you cannnot transfer from the Visa Waiver Program to any Non-Immigrant visa like the H1B visa or E3 Visa. You have to get the visa outside the US.
As for job interviews, I wouldn’t say 100% you have to the job interviews in the US, but I would say you will find very few people who got the job offer without the face to face interview. Usually that means there is either some sort of network connection or there is something extraordinary about your abilities.
CJ
ok I c now! thanks heaps Chris 🙂
Hey Chris, great site, very informative. I’m in New york at the moment trying to find work, have only been looking for a week, but so far its been difficult. At least half the places I’ve spoken to flat out say no, I’ve come across one company who will do visa’s but it’s virtually impossible to get someone to reply to an email or return a call. Very frustrating.. I work in IT btw.
Hi Stephen,
Sorry for the delay in reply and thanks for the kind words. Hope you are enjoying your stay in NY and that you are having better luck in your search. It is a touch time for a foreigner in any city but at least in NYC you have more opportunities. If you read our resume post and our how to explain the E3 visa to an employer post, those are my best tips for positioning those issues to an employer prospect; https://visacoach.org/2009/02/09/how-to-explain-the-e3-visa-to-a-potential-employer/ and https://visacoach.org/2009/02/28/creating-a-us-style-resume-for-job-applications/
Good Luck,
CJ
I am looking to find a position in the US and was hoping to find something from Australia but I see you have mentioned that most employers will not hire without face to face interview.
Do you think it is better to go to the USA and apply for jobs/attend interviews, etc until gaining a position and then apply for the visa somewhere outside the US like Canada as opposed to trying to do it from Australia. It seems that it could be more difficult to find a position from Australia when there is barriers such as time differences and distance in organising both phone and face to face interviews which I thought might also be a turn off for employers. From your experience is this the best way to find a position in the US? I only have a couple of years experience so I want to be as appealing prospect as possible over there and not sure if being in Australia is going to affect that.
Hi there,
Great site by the way!
My husband currently works in management for an airline in Australia and would like to work in the states either under the E3 or H1B (whichever is easier to get!). He would be classed mostly under Human Resources (HR Generalist or Development) for his job role and has about 10 years experience, however he has no bachelors degree. He has completed Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and a certificate in Human Resources and is currently about to complete the Human Resources Diploma. Would this be enough to qualify for E3??
Thanks so much for your advice!
I currently have an E3 Visa that expires in August. Can I go to Canada to apply for a new E3 since it is cheaper than extending my current one? Thanks for your help, greatly appreciated.
AP
hi cj,
Im a physical education teacher in aus and i was wondering if i can teach on the e3 visa. also am i able to study whilst on the visa if they require me to do a master (for example) to stay working at the school.
thanks, dave
Hi Al,
The biggest challenge for anyone securing a position is convincing them to trust and hire you. That is most easily accomplished if they can see you face to face and assess you. So yest the best way is to be in the US and this link has plenty of tips on all aspects of the process; https://visacoach.org/2009/08/16/e3-visa-faqs-myths/.
Good Luck,
CJ
Hi Danielle,
Thanks for the kind words.
10 years of experience in the field in question plus the diploma could be enough to satisfy the Bachelors Degree requirement and you can find more information here; https://visacoach.org/2009/05/22/e3-visa-the-bachelors-degree-specialty-occupation-conditions/. However to best enhance your chances it would be prudent to have his experience and diploma assessed by a degree equivalency evaluation organization in the US so you can bring further proof to any US consulate interview.
Good Luck,
CJ
Hi AP,
Yes you can go to Canada and apply for a new E3 visa.
CJ
Hi Dave,
Teaching is certainly not prohibited on the E3 visa. You are able to study as well while you are on the E3 visa, however if the position itself required a masters degree, then you may not be eligible as generally any qualifications that need to be done to your job in the US have to be done soon after you arrive. As a masters degree part time will obviously take a while, this may not be sufficient for the US consular officer adjudicating your case.
Good Luck,
CJ
Hi CJ,
I wanted to ask your thoughts on this situation.
I am currently on a J-1 Visa (work and travel, does not require me to return for 2 yrs) but this expires on December 1. My company has already filed and processed my E3 visa for me and this will become active when I next go overseas and attend a visa stamping appointment. Now, I have had a casual job offer which will be a part-time position that will not encroach on my full-time position with the company who has sponsored my E3 (the part-time job will be on weekend and after hours). Both roles are relevant to my academic background and expertise.
Have you ever heard of instances where someone has had two employers but one is full-time and the other is part-time? I have heard instances of petitions for two part-time employers but I am not sure if the former is possible (one full-time, another part-time).
Can you offer any advice?
Cheers,
CI
I have not put anything about Visa’s on my resume as i think it scares them off before they have even met you!
I think it’s better to mention it after they have shown an interest in you, or wait till they ask about your status. that’s what I am doing currently- hope it works!
Hi Meg,
There is no wrong or right answer with mentioning your visa on your resume, just use whatever works best for you. If your husband is a green card holder then you are eligible for a green card as well as his spouse. You just have to go through the process.
Cj
Hi,
I am just wondering if I can work as a contracting software developer on an E3 visa?
Thank you,
Ap
Hi I am looking EB-3 Visa jobs i am living here in Pakistan. and I am very interested. Is there anyone to help me in this regard?.
KHAN JEE
thanks
E-3 visa extension has been applied. Haven’t heard anything from USCIS. In the meantime VISA expires. Is there any grace period? what to do now?
Sal if you have filed for your E-3 Visa extension and they have received the docs prior to your visa expiry then it is customary to have a grace period while your application is processing. They should also have or be sending you a receipt notice with your case number on it which begins, “EAC…..”.
Cj
Hi CJ
Can you work on the E3 as a barber/hairdresser?
I’ve had experience as an educator in this field. Also what is the minimum hours you can work if I was offered a position part time on the E3?
Many thanks
Andrew
Andrew no you almost certainly would not b/c it wouldn’t be considered a specialty occupation or requirement a bachelor’s degree is a minimum criteria for that job. You can be part time on the E-3 visa and there is no specified minimum but very low hours would be scrutinized.
Cj
Hi,
Does anyone know if you can be accepted for a visa by being a fully qualified personal trainer followed with other qualifications?
Thanks,
Jordan
Hi I was a mathematics teacher in Australia and New Zealand. Is it possible to get an E3 visa. I assume i have to get certified under Californian law.
Thanks Bill
Hi, I’m trying to find how many hours i can work on a part-time E3? Whats the max for part time ? or threshold before becomes full-time.. is it 30?
Hi,
I am applying for an e3 visa with a part-time employer in a specialty occupation (ABA Therapist) with years of relevant experience and a Bachelor’s degree, but the industry only employs people under a 1099, not a w-2. I would be an employee for the organisation, with set wages above the minimum, but this is how that industry works. I have been reading a lot of information that would tell me it’s not possible to get the e3 without a w-2 position, and a lot that says a 1099 is fine. Could anyone give me some indication of which it is? Or how I might find out?
I don’t want to drag this employer around, and I certainly don’t want to go through the process and then get rejected if I can avoid it!
Thanks in advance!